


The Perils of Romance

by setosdarkness



Series: OTP Collection - IwaOi [15]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Pining, popular heartthrob Iwaizumi, school trash Oikawa, the not childhood friends au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 13:31:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2734415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setosdarkness/pseuds/setosdarkness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being in love with the popular, princely heartthrob isn't as romantic as it sounds. School's trashy outcast, Oikawa Tooru, learns that the hard way, when he falls in love with the school's Prince, Iwaizumi Hajime.</p>
<p>[OR: the heartthrob Iwa-chan & school trash Oikawa AU] [the not-childhood-sweethearts-AU] [the trash-prince and the trash-outcast AU]</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Perils of Romance

**Author's Note:**

> …so, in the same vein as my "unravel" fic (the not-childhood-friends AU)… I have a crueler twist? This time, it's what-if Oikawa and Iwaizumi did meet during their childhood, but they never had the chance to become good friends due to differences in their standing? I think Oikawa's more childish and annoying features will end up as deterrent to him forming other relationships, especially without Iwa-chan to "control"/"tone him down", in a way. Also, I think Oikawa also has a lot of impact on Iwaizumi's development, so what will happen if Iwaizumi didn't grow up developing "patience" and the "sense of responsibility" that was honed by taking care of Oikawa? So there's also gonna be some OOC, but I hope that it's the type that makes sense 8D
> 
> …in other words, this isn't going to be a fluffy AU – but I hope you still give this a chance! I'm a sucker for placing these two on many scenarios and this is just one of them orz

•  
  
Oikawa Tooru is proud to be an overall pretty silly guy.

He has good grades, he has good looks, he has good athletic skill.

He's from a poor family though, which is apparently everything in this world.

He thinks that if he's been born to a different era, maybe to a different world, he'll be one of the popular guys, the type who has multitudes of girls in each arm, while followed by a bunch of guys praising him and his existence.

But then again, if – and only if – he really has been born to a different time, there's no telling if he would have met the same people. Oikawa thinks that he's pretty okay with the people he knows in this lifetime, as sucky things can get in high school.

"You're on garbage duty, trashkawa."

He frowns at the way Fukuda-kun calls him by that so-called petname, not only because it's kind of cruel (it's not like he _stinks_ or that he has hordes of wrappers spilling out from his bookbag), but also because that name came from _Iwa-chan_. Someone just overheard their conversation and the nickname latched on and got spread around like wildfire.

He doesn't protest about others calling him by that name though – because what will he say? That only one person has the privilege to use that degrading nickname? That only Iwa-chan has the right to insult him without instigating annoyance? That he'd gladly let Iwa-chan insult him to hell and back as long as it means that the other is acknowledging him?

Nah, being called trashkawa is much better than having an accompanying _faggot_.

Not that Iwa-chan isn't someone who deserves hordes of starry-eyed fans – but in this world, no guy wants to be the object of another guy's affections.

"…sure thing, Fukuda-kun! ♪"

He ignores the way his classmates roll their eyes at him and his high-pitched voice. He ignores the way they call him lame and annoying. He ignores the way they scoff at his attempts to enter their social circles, not because he wants to be special, but because he'd rather that he's not left-out.

Oikawa Tooru is proud to be an overall pretty silly guy – because that means that nobody will even care if he ignores the way this world works.

••• part 01 - **impossibility**

Oikawa Tooru meets Iwaizumi Hajime when they're both kids of merely four years.

They say that one's first impression lasts forever – and Oikawa has been in love with that boy ever since.

Oikawa Tooru meets the son of his parents' boss, in the expansive backyard of a mansion filled with sparkling crystal chandeliers and imposing marble statues, just as the other finishes a slicing motion with his arms and his palms meet a bright blue-and-yellow ball with the force of a cannon. Oikawa Tooru stands there, wide-eyed, open-mouthed, as he practically vibrates from sheer excitement and admiration at seeing such a flawless spike from someone a little shorter than he is, the fierce determination on the other's angry-looking face. Oikawa Tooru is only four years old who doesn't know anything aside from helping out at home when his parents arrive exhausted from their demanding jobs, aside from knowing the schedule of MBS TV to heart, aside from knowing that the cube-root of 1728 is 12.

Well he now knows that he's in love with the person called Iwaizumi Hajime.

•••

"You look like a dumbass."

Those are Iwa-chan's first set of words to him.

He doesn't cry about it – but sweat did leak out a little bit from his eyes when he heard those words – and he doesn't complain about it.

"I'm not a dumbass, you're a dumbass!" – those are his first words out loud to Iwa-chan, but he only remembers them because his mother had furiously slapped a hand to his mouth at his outburst, before promptly making him bow down repeatedly in apology.

•••

Apparently, Iwa-chan is the special son of an important man.

Oikawa figures that Iwa-chan's sheer presence does have a reason behind it.

•••

Iwa-chan always calls him a 'dumbass' whenever they meet, but it's like he completely forgets who Oikawa is whenever they face each other.

That's more than fine.

Oikawa forgets who he is many times too.

•••

Oikawa tries out for the volleyball club as soon as he gains more confidence in his spiking skills.

He gets into the team – and after a few trials, is assigned as the setter.

He tosses the ball towards his teammates, tweaking his tosses to match each one of them as best as he can.

He tells Iwa-chan about getting into the volleyball team the day after it happens, then asks what position Iwa-chan plays, but Iwa-chan only looks at him dismissively and calls him a dumbass getting excited for nothing.

•••

Oikawa's disappointed that Iwa-chan doesn't play volleyball anymore – that he has never took volleyball seriously aside from making use the gifts sent to him during his fourth birthday.

He's even more disappointed when he learns about the so-called 'young giant' Ushijima Wakatoshi, who can apparently effortlessly bulldoze through any sort of resistance offered by his opponents.

He doesn't quit volleyball, but he does smile at his team just before they face off against Ushijima. He tells them with a grin that at least they can be proud that they'll be defeated by the team that's going to be the champion eventually.

He gets called a useless captain for being so pessimistic, but he doesn't get called that anymore after the devastating score of 25-6, 25-7 on their final two sets.

He doesn't quit volleyball, but he does think that things might have been a little different if he had someone with beautiful spikes like Iwa-chan in his team.

•••

Oikawa continues to be in the volleyball club in middle school, though he doesn't place in too much effort there.

Experiencing defeat from Ushijima's hands is annoying enough when he's 100% serious – there's no need to exert that much effort if he's just going to fail.

Oikawa places more effort into making sure his face doesn't get covered with zits and making sure that his name is always in the top five of the class when it comes to exams.

He also places more effort into following Iwa-chan around as subtly as he could, even though he only gets insults and the word 'dumbass' in return.

•••

Oikawa Tooru doesn't get bullied.

He gets called 'trash', 'annoying', 'bratty' and 'shallow', amongst many things, but he doesn't experience being dunked into a toilet bowl or being asked to carry his classmates' luggage during field trips and such.

He isn't happy nevertheless.

•••

Oikawa Tooru stays in love with Iwaizumi Hajime.

It's irrational and inexplicable, because the other certainly did nothing to be endeared to his heart. It would almost be more understandable if he's in love with someone like Ushijima – they don't get along at all, but at least Ushijima had the honor of being the best player in the sport that Oikawa played. Or maybe it would be better if he's in love with the annoying Tobio – because at least, he's a genius who has more than a few screws loose to be a normal person.

Iwa-chan only ever calls him a dumbass and he probably doesn't even know his name and this love is impossible.

Oikawa Tooru thinks that it's because he's a pretty silly guy that he's ridiculous when it comes to his feelings.

•••

With the way his classmates act, it's almost as though high school is all about crushes on teachers, getting their first kisses, having their virginities stolen, prom dates and graduation balls.

Oikawa Tooru only knows his high school by the amount of volleyball serves he makes, the scores on his exams, the papers of his college applications and the number of times Iwa-chan's eyes meet his and Iwa-chan's mouth forms the word 'dumbass' in relation to him.

•••

Oikawa Tooru is in love with Iwaizumi Hajime and even his mother knows.

So she tells him, in hushed words, just before she goes to her room to change out of the maid uniform mandated by the Iwaizumi conglomerate, about the college where the young master Hajime is going.

As expected, it's Tokyo University.

He wonders if his mother tells him about this because she pities him or if she loves him.

•••

Oikawa gets a surprising number of offers to join universities on the merit of his volleyball performance.

He's the captain of Aobajousai's weakest team in decades, but he does place in enough effort to improve his jump serves, because first impressions last forever and he can't quite erase the image of Iwa-chan's beautiful spiking motion that he wants to replicate as though he'll manage to get out of this pit of feelings if he does so.

He doesn't give them a response yet, because he's still futilely aiming for Tokyo University.

•••

Oikawa Tooru, as poor as he is, still has good grades, good looks and good athletic skill.

He doesn't make it to Tokyo University, but he does make it to one of the university's that had offered him entry even without passing their exams if he will continue to show athletic prowess.

He's getting kind of sick of volleyball – not only because of the lack of satisfying victories – not only because every spike he sees somehow echoes Iwa-chan's fateful one. He will go to that university, but not on a sports scholarship, because he's not sure how long he can keep up this silliness of his.

•••

Oikawa Tooru will be going to Sannan University – not a sports powerhouse, but still consistently ranks for volleyball, baseball and basketball – after graduation on a scholarship.

His parents are infinitely grateful for his good grades and even better entrance exam results, because trying times don't leave much available for tuition fees.

It's also fairly near his home, unlike Tokyo University that's so far away.

•••

Oikawa Tooru is a pretty silly guy – something that he wants to change once he's finally ripped apart from this impossible romance of his. But since he's still silly, with his diploma in his hands, he corners Iwa-chan right after graduation, follows the other as he stands out in the middle of the valedictory speech by Hanamaki-san.

"I like you, Iwa-chan."

Oikawa's voice echoes in the hallway, just as his feelings from more than years ago echoes from deep within him.

Iwa-chan meets his eyes, unflinching.

"Don't call me 'Iwa-chan', dumbass."

Oikawa Tooru doesn't cry after that rejection, but he wonders if it would have been better if he did.

•••

Oikawa Tooru is impossibly in love with Iwaizumi Hajime.

He hopes that it doesn't continue to be the case when he finally leaves this place.

•••  
  


[ in a certain mansion, there are two acceptance letters to Tokyo University thrown into an open fireplace, embers licking into the prestigious seal and into two futures. ]  
[ in a certain mansion, there rests an acceptance letter to Sannan University addressed to one Iwaizumi Hajime. ]

••• **to be continued**

**Author's Note:**

> ...there are five-six planned parts, as follows:
> 
> 01\. Impossibility - Their love is impossible.  
> 02\. Inequality - Their love is unequal.  
> 00\. (Interlude) Implacability - Iwaizumi's POV  
> 03\. Improbability – Their love is improbable—no, their love has a 1% probability of ending up well.  
> 00\. (Interlude.) Insurmountably - Iwaizumi's POV  
> 04\. ???


End file.
